Judge refuses to release “Buenos Aires Five” [UPDATE #2]

On Tuesday, April 27, while commemorating the day of international solidarity with Giannis Dimitrakis1, a group of anarchist comrades mobilized against the Greek embassy. During their action, two civil police officers came out of the embassy, brandishing their firearms and shouting that they were going to shoot. This was immediately followed by the appearance of several Federal Police agents.

The police started beating our comrades, finally arresting five, one of whom had to be transferred to Fernández Hospital, where she spent the night in handcuffs recovering from serious injuries. The other four comrades were brought to the 15th Precinct, but no one was able to get confirmation as to whether they were in the 15th or the 17th. Three police officers were injured in the clash: one with head trauma, one with a fractured arm, and one with a torn ligament.

On Wednesday, our comrades testified in the Comodoro Py courthouse, after which they remained in custody. That night, the homes of all the arrested comrades were suddenly raided in an orgy of legal irregularities, including one residence that was entered in the presence of an unaccompanied minor.

On Thursday afternoon, our comrades were notified that they were being denied release. They were charged with defacement, battery, assaulting and resisting authority, and ideological coercion—a sentencing condition that reactionary Judge Claudio Bonadío2 has attempted to saddle other organizations with.

Ideological coercion is the hidden face of the Antiterrorist Law, which criminalizes all who question this system. It signifies the existence of an organization that wants to impose its ideas by force. Nothing could be further from the anarchist revolutionary project. This is another demonstration of the state’s well-oiled judicial mechanisms that imprison whoever dares to initiate a discussion of its power, which continues to breed misery and submission.

Our comrades’ appeal will be filed within the next few days. In the meantime, they will spend the next 10 days in different prisons administered by the Federal Penitentiary Service while the judge decides whether or not to prosecute them in the absence of any incriminating evidence. One can clearly see the complicity of the mass media at work, conveniently manipulating facts, laying the responsibility for events at our comrades feet, and acting as judge and executioner.

We are calling for solidarity with the five imprisoned anarchist comrades until they are set free. Let’s reveal the incessant, blatant governmental repression contained in this state attack against all who confront this reality with dignity and all who struggle for a better world and a better life.

Anarchist prisoners to the streets!!

On Monday, May 3, at 8:30 a.m., we will be flyering for the freedom of our five comrades at Retiro Mitre station.

On Friday, May 7, at 5 p.m., we will be agitating and spreading information at Constitución station.

For the destruction of prisons.

For our comrades’ freedom.

For anarchy.

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1Giannis Dimitrakis: Greek anarchist prisoner charged with a bank robbery four years ago and threatened with a 35-year prison sentence.

2Federal judge Claudio Bonadío is infamous for ordering preventive detention for five demonstrators who were arrested after incidents during a protest against the state of Israel’s hostilities in Palestine. He also ordered preventive detention for four people arrested during a raid on an MTR office in Florencio Varela, finding them guilty of“ideological coercion” (the imposition of ideas by force), petty battery, resisting authority, and violating the antidiscrimination law.